Let be the standard complex structure on , let be the standard symplectic form, and let be the Euclidean inner product. They satisfy
The two-out-of-three property for unitary structures says that a real linear map preserving any two of these structures preserves the third. In terms of the corresponding matrix groups,
For example, if preserves and , then
so preserves . If it preserves and , the second displayed identity shows that it preserves . Finally, is uniquely determined by , so preservation of and implies . The common intersection is therefore the unitary group.